Fix Home Plumbing Problems

Leaking faucets, clogged drains, faulty pipes - is there any hope of getting some respite from the minefield of home plumbing problems? That's the kind of plaintive wail that resonates across homes all over the world. With their anguish unmitigated by any hope of relief, homeowners search relentlessly for some sort of succor.

Your consternation may seem uncannily familiar, but there's absolutely no need to despair. These problems can be countered without falling prey to the guiles of plumbing professionals and their horrendous costs. A few plumbing tools and some patience ensure the blueprint for sparkling success.

Five Boiler-Plate Rules For Success

Routine plumbing problems around the house do not signify the harbinger of doom. Here's how you can go about conducting minor repairs yourself without calamitous results:

• Before you embark on any kind of repair work, make sure you are armed with proper plumbing tools. Make a beeline to the nearest plumbing supplies store and pick basic tools like an auger, a plunger, a Philips screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, pipe wrenches, slip-joint and needle nose pliers, compression nuts and rings and faucet seats.
• Familiarize yourself with the location and functioning of the shut-off valve of every fixture, as well as the main shut-off valve in the house. You will need to turn off the water supply during all repair projects.
• If the problem occurs in a particular fixture, you'll need to close the valve of that fixture only, generally located beneath the fixture, by turning it clockwise. What if that fixture does not have a valve of its own? Simple, then all you do is close the main shut-off valve in the house.
• To get to the root of a leaky faucet, you'll have to take off the faucet handle with a screwdriver, followed by the screw cap that secures the stem with an adjustable wrench. All this with a great deal of patience and limited force, so that you don't damage the faucet.
• In some faucets, the washers may have to be replaced to stop the leak, while in washerless faucets, the 'O' rings may be the cause of your anxiety.

Donning a plumber's hat is not that ludicrous a proposition, right?

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